This and That Mockers and Mercy 100512

Eze 33:30-33  As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, 'Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.'  (31)  And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.  (32)  And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.  (33) When this comes--and come it will!--then they will know that a prophet has been among them  

Ezek 33:30-33
We read here God’s words to Ezekiel concerning those who come to hear him.  They come to be entertained, to have their ears tickled.  There is no hunger in their hearts nor is faith or faithfulness to be found.

For these “listeners” there is no “hearing,” except that which serves their gain.  But it is not spiritual or eternal gain they seek.
Let me pose a question.  If we see the evil in the attitudes of these people, why would we create something to which they are draw - invited - even actively pursued - and where their ungodly attitudes are allowed to flourish?

The movie The Field has always bothered me.  Well, not actually the movie but the belief it engendered in some that, “If you build it they will come.”  How did that ever slink its way into our faith?  Are we reaching out to people or to Crows and Magpies?  Crows and Magpies love to line their nests with shiny things.  Why they do so we can only speculate for they are not able to “value” these things.

There are certainly Crows and Magpies in the body of Christ and in some cases they are building nests to their own specifications and not by the Lord's model.  But their nests will not survive His coming.  The will burn in a millisecond.

But - what I want you to see is what the Lord tells us to do about this situation.  Re-read the passage -- go ahead, I'll wait
Did you see it?  Do yu now know what God expects of you in relation to these people?  If you say, "I didn't see anything," you've got it.  God gives us no orders concerning these people.  We're to just continue to be those who communicate the Word in a, "beautiful voice," and to be those who, "plays well on an instrument."  We are to continue to proclaim the Word which comes from the Lord.  Why?

First because judgment and condemnation are not ours to dispense.  God does not share His throne, He alone is judge and executioner.

Second, because we need to be as merciful and God is.  If these mockers are given one more day, one more opportunity to hear the Word it is because God is merciful.  The day before He made me His, the very moment before, I was His enemy.  That, one more moment, was His mercy to me - and to you.
Think about it.  Everyday that God gives an non-believing friend of ours is another opportunity for us to share His grace His Gospel.  It's a mercy to them and to us.  To them because it's another chance to hear.  To us because it's another chance to tell.  Mercy is indeed broader than we think.

Yes, they may reject the message.  But just because they might is no reason not to share.  The very possibility that He may use us to work in their redemption is a grace given to us and mercy given to them.

Think of it this way.  If someone dear to us dies and we are told that sharing the Gospel with them might bring them life - would we not do it just because it might not?  It's is little different with those dear to us who still live.  They are dead and we have the words of life.  Will we refuse to speak them because they may be rejected?  Will we reject the wondrous opportunity just because it might come to nothing?

Yes, it is frustrating to realize than many who call themselves believers are not believers.  It's painful to see them mocking God by taking entertainment from His words.  But if He gives them one more opportunity to hear, we must praise Him for His mercy and silence our flesh.  If He gives them a thousand opportunities to hear and they mock every one of them - it is still His mercy.

Let us not miss any opportunity to make good use of His mercy to the unredeemed.